What Do You Know, Really: How Watered-Down Words and Truths Impact Debate
Conscientious mistruths are dangerous. When they comprise the majority of one’s argument...
What Do You Know, Really: How Watered-Down Words and Truths Impact Debate
by Jennifer Eisenreich
Sept. 18, 2024
“When words lose their meaning, people lose their freedom.”
Confuscious
Gen Z’s lexicon has been the target of cheugy Boomers and Xers who literally struggle to understand their word bank. No cap. However, each generation would do well to claim responsibility for the fact that the power of our language has not been Gucci for decades.
In fact, the degradation of language has been occurring for hundreds of years.
The First English Dictionary of Slang was published in 1699 as A New Dictionary of Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew by B. E. Gentleman, containing terms such as “chounter,” to speak pertly and sometimes angrily.
The counterculture vibe of society in the 1960’s saw a marked increase in words and phrases used to disguise language from authority figures. Disc jockeys had a major influence as they popped new phrases and rhythms into the way listeners spoke.
Fast-forward a groovy sixty years and we arrive at a time when words have lost their punch, and anyone can, and will, say anything.
The truth remains though, that words do have meaning, as well as consequences.
“Words, like nature, half reveal and half conceal the soul within.”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
The 2016 Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year was post-truth defined as, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”
A brief visit to any social-media site provides all the examples one may need to understand the notion that truth has become relative and facts now sound much like fiction.
The truth is especially polarized when it comes to politics and it is found in what is said and what can be read between the lines.
Successfully avoiding political conversations is as likely as missing mud-slinging messaging over the next few months. There are important things to remember in the pursuit of truth during those conversations.
Truth is not required. Political advertising in America does not have to be true. Political Action Committees (PACs) have major leeway in creating messages for their candidates. Their content may be misleading, misquoted, or taken out of context, and there is no oversight to correct the message.
While some outlets may conduct fact-checking, the sheer volume of misstatements is more than even the most motivated team of truth-seekers can tackle. So, when someone quotes an ad, or a post from social-media, it’s important to fact check the information before agreeing or arguing about it.
Few are experts. Have you noticed the number of economic scholars, public policy analysts, and foreign policy “experts” in our midst? It’s one thing to talk about topics we’ve read, even from reputable sources. Understanding the nuances behind each of those positions is another.
It takes years of education and experience to reach the level of understanding necessary to give meaningful commentary on these complicated issues.
For example, many believe that because they attended school as a child and interacted with school as an adult, they are qualified to understand and evaluate the governance of a school or district. As a retired principal, I can attest that I was still learning after 30 years on the job.
While folks may have a loose understanding of some systems, they are not able to predict the way one decision affects multiple circumstances or the history behind case-law and policy leading up to a decision. The same holds true with politics.
Emotion and personal beliefs override facts. Political debates or arguments rarely occur for their original purpose, which was the sake of curiosity, or in pursuit of truth. The intent is usually to discredit or disparage.
In these instances, the outcome is often frustration, hurt feelings, or estrangement. Prepare a statement that will allow a graceful exit from mud-slinging match-ups such as, “I value your opinion and am focused on facts as I have researched them. Let’s agree that the best use of our voice is to vote.”
Facts can be found. An opinion is not open to debate. It’s based on the way someone feels or believes based on their personal experiences.
Facts can be proven. When in doubt, and in this season we should all exercise healthy skepticism, there are ways to prove what is true. There are many reputable fact-checking sources. Here are just a few:
FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that monitors factual accuracy and aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.
Snopes.com originally debunked urban-myths and tall-tales, but now covers many political statements, including the truth behind memes, the go-to of many social media sites.
The International Fact-Checking Network is a global organization that champions best practices and exchanges of fact-based information. It offers trainings in the categories such as ethics, leadership, and writing.
Find your favorite fact-checking source. Bookmark it, and regardless of who you support, check their statements. Facts matter.
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
The starring role in any debate is character. Do statements slay with empathy and compassion or vitriol and derision? How far will one go to mislead, misinform or distract from truth?
When A.C Fields said, “If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit,” chances are he was giving advice to a political candidate.
As we look into the heart of our leaders, conscientious mistruths are dangerous. When they comprise the majority of one’s argument, it reveals their soul.
Jennifer Eisenreich spent 24 of her 30 years in education as a principal and still communicates with many of her former students and their families. The founder and CEO of Shift Show Communication, she helps leaders who want to better connect with their teams.
